Monday, May 25, 2020

On a Coastal Breeze

We all experience fear at some point in our lives. How we handle this fear determines our future. It can cripple or strengthen us.

Maddie and her sisters each suffered some type of anxiety. On a Coastal Breeze describes how they handled their anxieties and the impact on their lives.

Pastor Rick was new to the job but not to Maddie. He gave her many reasons to feel anxious. He made her heart beat a little faster. Was he worth taking a risk and facing her fears?

I love this story. I read the first book of the series and I was hooked. I know that I'll be first in line for the next one.

I received this free from Celebrate Lit to review.

About the Book

Book: On A Coastal Breeze

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Amish Romance

Release Date: May 5, 2020

For Madison Grayson, life is good. Newly licensed as a marriage and family therapist, she can’t wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate shortage of eligible bachelors on the island–they’re all too young, too old, or too weird–Maddie feels like she’s finally found her sweet spot. Not even one panic attack in the last year. Not one.

And then Ricky O’Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again–the one who’d been her archnemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance–parachutes into town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky O’Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island.

Time to panic.

With wit and a bit of whimsy, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Three Sisters Island where family, forgiveness, and a second chance at love await.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including On a Summer Tide, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, The Deacon’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.

More from Suzanne

Dear Reader,

The minute you step off the ferry and onto Three Sister Island, magic begins. Crisp ocean air acts like an elixir. Stress starts to evaporate, like a wisp of steam from a cup of hot tea. Happiness moves in, and you’ll feel more cheerful, more positive about the future.

And then there’s time! Somehow, there seems to be plenty of it.

Little things will catch your notice—finding seashells on the beach, watching waves crash against the rocks, gazing at the star-studded night sky.

Life just starts to slow down…and you wonder if you really want to ever leave Three Sisters Island.

Nor do you have to! That’s the beauty of books—they are the perfect escape. Always available, just waiting to be picked up. Always ready to transport you to a fresh and new state of mind.

On a Coastal Breeze is that kind of a read. The Grayson Family saga continues as they move to Three Sisters Island off the coast of Maine for a fresh start. Maddie Grayson takes center stage in this story. Life is finally coming together for Maddie. On the very day she opens her counseling practice, she spots a billowing skydiver. Parachuting in is Ricky O’ Shea—the one person on earth Maddie hoped she’d never see again. But Rick’s the new pastor for the island’s only church and he’s not about to leave. That’s when sparks start to fly.

Join me for a getaway by the sea that will leave you in a happy, relaxed, vacation-y state of mind…without leaving your home. Once you board the Never Late Ferry, even in your imagination, the island will take it from there.

Warmly, Suzanne

https://promosimple.com/ps/fb52/on-a-coastal-breeze-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, May 18, 2020

The Wedding Dress

Enjoyable read. I haven't read one of Danielle Steele's books in ages. I have no idea why???

I enjoy multi-generational books. This story was about three generations and the consequences of the depression on them all.

I love the women characters. They all were strong in various degrees. At times, I wanted to shake one or two but they had to learn.

Great read on a cold, wet, quarantined day!!!

Someone Like You

A powerful book about the consequences of modern science. Karen never disappoints. This is a stand alone book but it's wonderful to visit the Baxter family again.

I loved the story and read it in one day. How can you not worry about Maddie? How can she handle the truth?

GOD has A plan for each one of us. We don't always understand but things will work out. I truly believe that GOD arranged my meeting with my husband. He knew that I went through some hard times and he was trying to tell me.... "Hold on, Jeanette. I am always with you. Everything will be ok...Just wait and see."

Thank you, Karen. I will continue to be one of your biggest fans!!!!

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Karen Witemeyer's AT LOVE'S COMMAND

I always enjoy a book where the female lead is not a shrinking violet. Josephine is certainly not that. She is opinionated. She is sassy. She is smart. And she is a doctor!

Matt had no room for romance in his life. He just didn't meet Dr. Jo yet.

Matt is the whole package. He is handsome, strong and a decent man. He valued Jo's strengths and loved her for them.

Two strong characters that are drawn to each other, both fighting their feelings but realizing that love can't be denied. Disaster strikes and each must fight for what they hold dear.

I loved how their faith carried them in good times and bad. Their faith encouraged them when it appeared that all was lost. They never gave up. During these times in the coronavirus pandemic, it is important to hold on to our faith.

I enjoyed this story and look forward to more books in the series. You can't go wrong with any books written by Karen Witemeyer.

Starfish Pier by Irene Hannon

Starfish Pier is located in a small town called Hope Harbor. Sounds like a place I would love to live in. Everyone knows your name. A community where the residents look out for each other. Of course, the drawback is that everyone knows your business.

I was drawn to one character as I turned the pages. Pete came to Hope Harbor without hope. He lost himself. He thought he knew what his plane were until he met his neighbor. He was an example of a "changed" man.

He wasn't the only one who changed or grew in this lovely story. Many of the characters had demons that they lived with.

Irene Hannon clearly demonstrated that we can conquer our fears, our demons with GOD by our side and with the help of others. We don't have to do it alone.

I loved the story and was sad to see it end. I will look for the other books in this series as I am confident that they would be just as enjoyable.

I received this free from Revell Books to review.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Change of Heart

Becca had to get away. It was a time to heal from a broken heart. Ruth, Becca's sister, was a grieving widower. Becca was jilted at the altar. Together they could get through this difficult time.

Becca had no idea that her life would change so drastically. Would she regret her decisions?

Becca might have changed her location but she remained strong in her beliefs. She loved Matt but would not marry him.

Becca's decision to leave her Amish home was a difficult one. This was a big deal. I would have thought it would be more of a struggle. I assume she didn't think of leaving before she was jilted. Becca left but didn't leave her faith. Her faith kept her strong.

It was a lovely story about acceptance and what constitutes a family. Matt's parents needed a Change of Heart.

I received this free from Celebrate Lit to review.

Home On Huckleberry Hill

Huckleberry Hill has become a home away from home for me. I love revisiting Annie and her husband, Felty. She loves her family and will go to extremes to support them. This story demonstrates their overwhelming support for their granddaughter, Mary. They will be so supportive to the point that they will experience fires, spiders, out houses and a runaway motorhome.

Mary is going through some tough times. She takes drastic measures to survive. But her husband, Jethro, doesn't understand. It doesn't take long for both of them to dig deeper and discover what they need to do. It demonstrates how important it is to LISTEN...really listen to your partner. Communication is the key.

It is so important to be able to communicate face to face. It is so easy to misinterpret someone's behavior in today's world with texting and Facebook. Hurt feelings need to be addressed. It can fester until the relationship completely breaks down.

Home in Huckleberry Hill was entertaining. It was a joy to read.

I received this free from Celebrate Lit to review.

Back Cover:

Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin’s irrepressible eighty-something matchmakers Anna and Felty Helmuth are at it again. And this time they’re willing to rough it to get the job done . . . Mary Anne Neuenschwander knows she should be content with what Gotte has given her. She has a comfortable house, a fruitful farm, and a good, steady husband. But after nearly six years of marriage, she still longs for a baby. Yet her husband, Jethro, seems to care more about fishing than about his wife. Unable to bear Jethro’s indifference, Mary Anne moves into a tent in the woods where he won’t have to be bothered. But when her mammi and dawdi find out what she’s done, they’ll stop at nothing—including a little camping trip of their own—to help save their granddaughter’s marriage . . . Jethro’s greatest blessing is his beloved wife, Mary Anne. Nothing else in his life has turned out anywhere near the way he expected. Rather than burden Mary Anne with his disappointment, he shields her by spending less and less time at home and more time on the river. But when he finds that she’s moved out, he’s shocked. What will people think? What is Mary Anne thinking? And what clever plans are her grandparents hatching?. . .

Bio
Jennifer Beckstrand is the two-time RITA-nominated, #1 Amazon bestselling Amish romance author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series, The Honeybee Sisters series, and The Petersheim Brothers series for Kensington Books. Huckleberry Summer and Home on Huckleberry Hill were both nominated for the coveted RITA® Award from Romance Writers of America. Jennifer has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people and loves writing about the antics of Anna and Felty Helmuth, the Honeybee sisters’ aendi Bitsy, and Alfie and Benji Petersheim. Jennifer has written twenty-two Amish romances, a historical Western, and the nonfiction book, Big Ideas. Jennifer is represented by Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour Agency. She and her husband have been married for thirty-five years, and she has six children and eight adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.

Social Media Link

Website: http://www.jenniferbeckstrand.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbeckstrandfans

Twitter: @JenniferBeckst1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jennifergbeckst/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Beckstrand/e/B0073GHCOG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1488910908&sr=8-2-ent

Instagram: j.beckstrand

Bookbub: @JenniferBeckstrand https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-beckstrand

Purchase Link

https://amzn.to/3aFrepp

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Hope in the Mountain River

What a beautiful story! I am always amazed of Misty M. Beller's writing. She clearly describes the scenery and the fine details in all her books. I am not just reading her story. I am almost in her story.

Elan has suffered much sorrow. She was not sure how she can heal from this. Joel was on a mission to find his brother. The two met and this lovely story describes what they learned and discovered.

Both Joel and Elan suffered much. How can one get through so much pain? The answer is trusting GOD and believing that HE will never forsake you. He is there always. Good times and bad.

GOD hears our prayers. Always. Elan discovered GOD gives us strength and comfort. We just need to be open and listen to what HE is trying to tell us.

I received this book for free from Celebrate Lit to review.

About the Book

Book: Hope in the Mountain River

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: March 31, 2020

This epic journey is not at all what she expected.

Joel Vargas can’t believe he’s lost his older brother in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains after surviving their harrowing voyage across the Atlantic. And he can’t shake the feeling that Adam—his only living relative—is in dire trouble. No matter what the cost, he and his band of friends won’t stop until Adam is found. He doesn’t have time to contend with the two Indian women who seem to be shadowing his every move.

After the devastating loss of her daughter and husband to a sickness that swept through their Nez Perce camp, Elan is desperate to find an escape from her grief. As she and her friend journey through the mountains toward the great river, a band of white men is the last thing she expects to find, especially as winter blows in full force.

When the dangers increase, accomplishing Joel’s mission becomes the only hope for all their survival. If the elements don’t consume them, Elan has a feeling life will never be the same for any of them.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and intense adventure.

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

More from Misty

I’ve always been a horse lover, and was blessed to grow up on a farm. My brother and I each had ponies of our own and rode hours each day. When we were old enough to graduate to full-size horses, we met neighbors who also had horses and loved to ride together. The two mares they rode had a mottled black and white spotted look, which I knew to be part of the Appaloosa breed. Through hears of riding together, I developed a deep appreciation for those two Appaloosa horses, as well as respect for the entire breed! Those two mares proved they could outrun and outlast any of the other horses in our riding group.

I’ve long wanted to include Appaloosas in one of my stories, especially since the breed was said to have begun in the Nez Perce tribe who lived just west of the Rocky Mountains. I’m so excited for you to meet Elan, the heroine in Hope in the Mountain River!

Elan and her friend are traveling through the Rockies on their Appaloosa horses, animals who can ride faster and longer than all the other horses in their group—even through the treacherous terrain of the Rocky Mountains!

I pray you love this story as much as I loved writing it. Enjoy a glimpse of the famous Appaloosa horse!

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, March 31

Mary Hake, March 31

Through the Fire Blogs, April 1

deb’s Book Review, April 1

A Baker’s Perspective, April 2

Genesis 5020, April 2

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, April 2

Texas Book-aholic, April 3

Jeanette’s Thoughts, April 3

For the Love of Literature, April 4

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 4

Rebecca Tews, April 5

For Him and My Family, April 5

Blessed & Bookish, April 6

Splashes of Joy, April 6

Bigreadersite, April 6

Betti Mace, April 7

She Lives To Read, April 7

Book of Ruth Ann, April 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 8

Simple Harvest Reads, April 9 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, April 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 10

janicebookreviews, April 10

Blossoms and Blessings, April 11

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, April 11

Artistic Nobody, April 12 (Guest Reviewer Donna Cline)

Pause for Tales, April 12

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 13

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, April 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f73b/hope-in-the-mountain-river-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

The House At The End Of The Moor

Maggie had to get away fast so the House seemed to be the perfect solution. Oliver ran to escape. They both had secrets. Little did they know their secrets would bring them together.

We need to open our hearts to forgive others as well as ourselves. We all make mistakes. We will only be completely free when we can forgive.

I was touched to see the wonderful changes the characters made due to forgiveness and redemption.

Have you carried the heavy burden of having a grudge or anger towards someone? I have. It is a heavy weight. Let it go. You will be set free.

I enjoyed this book. It had everything I was looking for. Maggie and Oliver grew stronger spiritually as I turned page after page. Loved it!

I received this free from Barbour books.

Ephesians 4:31-32 ESV Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Monday, March 23, 2020

Turning Tide

My great grandfather served in the British Army during WW1. He suffered injuries in France. He was sent home to recuperate but shortly thereafter he returned to fight. He lost his life in Egypt in 1917 from dysentery. His name is on the War Monument in the town square in Maulden, England. This monument is to remember the men who didn't return. I thought of him while reading this book. How can I not? I think of how he felt saying goodbye to his wife and children to return to the front. My grandmother was only 2. She only remembered his shiny buttons on his uniform.

I have his picture sitting in my cabinet. I look at him and think of what he suffered. I think of how his family must have felt when they received the terrible news.

I was a little lost at first as it appears this was part of a series. By Chapter 4, the characters and how they were related started to click. I enjoyed their closeness in their community. They looked out for each other.

This story illustrates that things can change in a fraction of a moment. The tide can turn in either direction. How we handle this change is what is important.

I received this book free from Celebrate Lit to review.

About the Book

Book: Turning Tide

Author: Melody Carlson

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: Feb 15, 2020

As the Great War rages on, Sunset Cove continues to feel its impact. Running the small town newspaper, Anna McDowell can’t escape the grim reports from the other side of the world, but home-front challenges abound as well. Dr. Daniel is serving the wounded on the front lines. And Katy, expecting her first child, with her husband in the trenches, tries to support the war effort with her Red Cross club. Even as the war winds down the costs are high—and Sunset Cove is not spared.

Click here for your copy!

About the Author

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, True Colors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.

More from Melody

Writing about the WW1 era has definitely been a good history lesson for me. Prohibition laws in Oregon (and rum-runners breaking them) combined with a massive war that changed the world and a global epidemic is worth paying attention to. Especially since history sometimes repeats itself. The early 20th century had a lot going on—much that seems nearly forgotten. I’m glad to see the movie 1917 is doing well—and we plan to see it this week. Although I’m not a fan of gruesome war movies, this era continues to intrigue me. Even as I wrapped up my Sunset Cove series with Turning Tide I was left wondering . . . what’s next? But isn’t that the beauty of story?